Sunday, July 22, 2012

Bugging in

At first, this will seem like a Heroclix post; but it isn't. So stick with me...

One of the innovations that's coming in Heroclix this years is figures that are vehicles, such as the Batmobile and the Invisible Jet. It's a much anticipated development for players of the game, because there are some vehicles that are more iconic than most characters. Just imagine the ratio of "People Who've Heard of the Batmobile/People Who've Heard of Grifter and Maul".

Here's a photo of the models for some of those vehicles, in fact:

The Batmobile is a pretty darned clever composite of the many Batmobiles over the years. But I have a feeling it's that unprepossessing cop car, oh yes, that I will be using the CRAP out of.

The eye-popper, of course, is "the Bug", Blue Beetle's airship, which is both beautiful and freakin' HUGE.

One of the one hand, it makes perfect sense: it will go nicely with the new Ted Kord Blue Beetle figure that will be
in the Heroclix 10th Anniversary set coming out, oh, next month. On the other hand...

Ted Kord was killed off some seven years ago. What's more, with the New 52, he's not in continuity at all. Now, there never was a Ted Kord. At least...

not on Earth-1.

And that's the point of this post. While there are certainly nostalgia pieces in Heroclix, there's also a strong impetus from DC to use it to push the new 52. It just seems a little strange that they would have the maker of Heroclix, Wizkids, create a "Bug" figure. UNLESS...

we're going to see Ted Kord again. Specifically, as the Earth-2 Blue Beetle.

Much as I like the idea of Ted being on Earth 2, I'm pretty sure James Robinson has said that with the exception of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Atom and Hawkgirl, there will be no duplication of hero names.

So no Firestorm, no Green Arrow, no Batwoman, etc. I figure they'll get round Mr Terrific by having Terry Sloane not being called Mr Terrific.